Skin care in hot weather

Doctors at Dong Nai Dermatology Hospital advise patients on skin care. Photo: Hai Yen

Knowing how to take care of your skin and getting timely medical checkups when symptoms appear are important factors in having healthy skin, helping patients feel confident in communication and life.

Heat increases skin problems

These days, the number of patients coming to Dong Nai Dermatology Hospital to examine skin diseases has increased. Among them, diseases related to infection and dermatitis (allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis) are the most common.

According to Dr. Cao Tram Anh, On-Demand Clinic, Dong Nai Dermatology Hospital: “Many patients come to see a dermatologist when their condition is quite severe: infected, oozing, pus, skin thickening into patches, severe itching, progressing to red skin all over the body… to the point of having to be hospitalized.”

A simple way to know what type of skin you have is to wash your face, pat dry and let it dry naturally for 30 minutes. If your skin feels tight and doesn’t secrete oil (you can use blotting paper to check), then your skin is dry. People with combination skin will secrete oil in the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin). People with oily skin will secrete oil in the cheeks.

According to Dr. Tram Anh, treatment time varies depending on the disease and condition. In cases of full-body erythema and systemic infection requiring hospitalization, each hospital stay lasts an average of 14 days and the patient can reduce the disease by 80% and be discharged for outpatient treatment. In milder cases, outpatient treatment can be done for about 2-3 sessions, each session lasting about 2 weeks.

In severe cases requiring inpatient treatment, in addition to oral and topical medications, patients are also given medicated baths (to help disinfect the skin) and phototherapy to support better treatment.

Dong Nai Dermatology Hospital also receives and treats many cases of children with contact dermatitis due to bathing in leaf water. “During the hot season, children often have prickly heat and parents choose to bathe in leaf water to treat prickly heat. However, bathing in leaf water may be suitable for one child but not suitable for another. In addition, whether the source of leaves used to boil the bath water is clean or not, whether there are pesticide residues or not… is also a problem” - said Dr. Tram Anh.

When receiving these cases, the doctor asks to stop bathing with herbal water and switch to bathing with mild solutions, shower gels or products that have been clinically tested, proven to be clearly effective, and have a scientific basis.

Proper skin care

During the hot season, about 90% of adolescents experience acne because their skin secretes more oil. On the other hand, children do not know how to properly clean their skin, making the condition worse.

Many parents are still quite subjective, thinking that during puberty, it is natural for children to have acne, and only when the child's skin condition becomes severe (pustules, inflamed acne, swelling, watery discharge...) will they take their child to see a dermatologist. In these cases, the treatment time must be calculated in months, maybe even a year to heal, but the consequences are still scars on the skin.

In addition, also during the hot season, the Cosmetic Clinic of Dong Nai Dermatology Hospital also receives a large number of patients, most of whom are between the ages of 35-40, suffering from skin complications due to corticosteroid infection.

Dr. Tram Anh explains: “Due to hot weather, patients are exposed to more sunlight, sweat, easily leading to infection and underlying skin conditions will appear. Patients often experience skin redness, itching, burning…”.

To protect the skin during the hot season, Dr. Tram Anh recommends that people should avoid direct exposure to sunlight; drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and dry skin. When going out in the sun, people should cover themselves by wearing a jacket, hat, sunglasses, and mask; apply sunscreen with SPF 50, especially between 9am and 3pm.

For sunscreen, users should apply at least 30 minutes before going out in the sun. Reapply every 3-4 hours. If working in a cool environment, you can apply it once or twice a day. For those who work in a job that exposes them to a lot of sunlight, in addition to applying sunscreen 2-3 times a day, they should wear a mask and a hat.

Depending on the nature of the work, users can remove makeup before applying a new layer of sunscreen. If you cannot remove makeup, you should rinse with clean water to reduce dirt, oil, etc. If you cannot wash your face, you can use a dry tissue to wipe it off before applying a new layer of sunscreen.

Users should choose a sunscreen product that is comfortable and suitable for their skin. For those with skin problems, they need to choose sunscreen more carefully, avoiding the use of unsuitable products that can lead to blockages and more severe skin inflammation. Patients with skin diseases should consult a dermatologist about whether or not they can use sunscreen and what type of cream to use.

People also need to practice good hygiene: bathe and change clothes every day; do not share clothes, towels, or face towels; eat a balanced diet, supplement vitamins and minerals, etc.

Another important step in daily skin care is makeup removal. Dr. Tram Anh advises: “Makeup removal is quite necessary for those who use products with water-resistant and waterproof properties (including sunscreen, especially sunscreen with high SPF). Mild facial cleansers cannot completely remove this product. Therefore, it is necessary to use a deep cleansing product such as makeup remover. Even for those who do not use sunscreen or makeup, when exposed to hot, dusty environments, adding a gentle makeup removal step will clean the skin better.”

Hai Yen

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202504/cham-soc-da-mua-nang-nong-a9b24fd/